Winemaker Notes
Aromatic fireworks—blackberry jam, black pepper, pine needle, tapenade and briar patch—are deep, inky and intense. The wine is immediately fruit-forward on the palate with obvious concentration, richness and voluptuous texture. Cassis and boysenberry fruits precede game and rosemary tones. Great breadth across the palate is weighty and layered, while chewy cocoa powder tannins bring balance and focus.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2018 Syrah Wild Mountainside was made with about one-third whole clusters and includes about 5% Viognier. Medium to deep ruby-purple, it has gorgeous aromas of smoked meats, crushed blackcurrants, mint leaves, bitter chocolate, violet and blueberries. Medium to full-bodied, it's well managed in the mouth, restrained but deeply flavored, with a fine, grainy frame and fresh, uplifted finish.
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Wine Enthusiast
Earthy, burly and brightly lifted by underlying acidity, this impressive wine is wild and complex. Moderate ripeness is highlighted by bold flavors of blueberry, dark cherry and dark chocolate. The richness is balanced and leads to an elegant finish of violet.
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Connoisseurs' Guide
With generosity, balance and varietal focus on its side, this direct and inviting wine runs near the head of the pack. Full but not heavy on the palate with focused blackberry scents, caramelized beef and bacon fat richness and the expected touch of spice in support, the wine, for all of its early positives, gains even greater volume with time in the glass. It manages to be both tannic and well-mannered at one and the same time and will do yeoman’s service alongside savory meats today, yet it can only get better over the next half-dozen years.
Respect for the land
DuMOL is a “vineyard up” winery with a fully integrated approach to winegrowing and winemaking. DuMOL planted its high-density estate vineyards and has farmed many of California’s most renowned vineyards for more than two decades.
Commitment to craft
DuMOL sticks to what works and is focused on the fundamentals, finding inspiration in master, visionary producers around the world as DuMOL continually hones its craft—never imitating, ever refining.
Connected on a personal level
This is a project that comes from who the DuMOL team is and what they love. A deep connection is paramount: to the land, the wines, and the customers.
Heritage and experience
Founded in 1996, DuMOL is a latter-day pioneer in the Russian River Valley. Winemaker, Viticulturist and Partner, Andy Smith, farmed the region for nearly a decade before joining in 1999, and Associate Winemakers Julie Cooper and Jenna Davis, and Cellar Master Jaime Eufracio, have over 40 years combined experience at DuMOL.
Marked by an unmistakable deep purple hue and savory aromatics, Syrah makes an intense, powerful and often age-worthy red. Native to the Northern Rhône, Syrah achieves its maximum potential in the steep village of Hermitage and plays an important component in the Red Rhône Blends of the south, adding color and structure to Grenache and Mourvèdre. Syrah is the most widely planted grape of Australia and is important in California and Washington. Sommelier Secret—Such a synergy these three create together, the Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre trio often takes on the shorthand term, “GSM.”
A standout region for its decidedly Californian take on Burgundian varieties, the Russian River Valley is named for the eponymous river that flows through it. While there are warm pockets of the AVA, it is mostly a cool-climate growing region thanks to breezes and fog from the nearby Pacific Ocean.
Chardonnay and Pinot Noir reign supreme in Russian River, with the best examples demonstrating a unique combination of richness and restraint. The cool weather makes Russian River an ideal AVA for sparkling wine production, utilizing the aforementioned varieties. Zinfandel also performs exceptionally well here. Within the Russian River Valley lie the smaller appellations of Chalk Hill and Green Valley. The former, farther from the ocean, is relatively warm, with a focus on red and white Bordeaux varieties. The latter is the coolest, foggiest parcel of the Russian River Valley and is responsible for outstanding Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.